“Hecate Strait is a wide but shallow strait between Haida Gwaii (formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands) and the mainland of British Columbia. Hecate Strait, because it is so shallow, is especially susceptible to violent storms and weather; therefore, has always been revered by the Northwest Coast First Nations Peoples.

The shallow waters make it an abundant place for marine life, especially for spotting Orcas and Humpback Whales breaching.

In this scarf design, I’ve illustrated the turbulent waters, abundance of Orcas, and Salmon.

Orcas are great guardians of the ocean, with Seals as slaves and Dolphins as warriors. Orcas are closely related to humans; I was told many legends as a child of the whale people and their villages beneath the sea.

Salmon are a symbol of abundance, wealth and prosperity because Salmon are the primary food source for the people of the Northwest Coast. It is also symbolic of dependability and renewal representing the provider of life. Salmon in pairs are good luck.”

Part of Gwaai’s Regalia jewelry line, featuring handmade works that depict abstraction of the Haida form. The motifs impressed on each piece are borrowed from a dismantled a bentwood box design featuring variations of the Raven story. As an extension of this original concept, Gwaai has developed other themes such as reinterpreting Naxiin or Chilkat blanket weaving designs. After embossing on sterling silver or copper sheets, each specific design is carefully chosen for its aesthetic and narrative qualities. They are then shaped and polished by hand, ensuring no two pieces will ever be identical.

“The Beaver was my original clan but I was adopted into my father’s Eagle Clan because it was thought that it might become extinct; many Eagle Clan members died due to having no immunity to early European diseases.

The wild beaver seems to understand an old, but true, Haisla proverb: ‘If you work hard today, you will have plenty tomorrow.’ Or perhaps it was actually my ancestors who came to understand, emulate and respect the working habits of this industrious little animal enough to create the original Haisla Beaver Clan.”